Month: February 2021

Many will say that the contents of the trunk of your car are purely personal matter. This is partly the case. But a certain set of tools and accessories can be useful to anyone who sets off on a journey, even if it is short and short-lived. Their list was formed based on many years of experience of drivers who got into a wide variety of situations.

 

What is required to carry in the car according to the law?

 

Every law-abiding driver should be aware of the list of items that must always be in the trunk in case of emergencies – as required by the Traffic Regulations. For the absence of any of them, a traffic police officer can issue a fine. However, there is nothing difficult in complying with the requirements of the law – there are only four items on this list.

 

Automotive first aid kit. Perhaps the most important and most useful compulsory subject. Unfortunately, many pay attention to the presence and condition of the first aid kit only when there is an urgent need to use it. Or before a technical inspection, where its contents are checked without fail.

 

The law not only requires a first aid kit but also strictly defines the list of what should be in it. And each of its components must be usable (not expired). On the other hand, no one prohibits and supplementing the mandatory list at their discretion – the main thing is that there are no drugs in the first-aid kit that are prohibited in the Russian Federation. And it is also necessary to use any medicine on other people with an eye to the legislation. We wrote about all this in detail in a separate article.

 

Fire extinguisher. This is also not just an item that must be presented during the inspection or to the inspector to avoid a fine. A fire extinguisher can save not only property but also someone’s life, perhaps even your own.

 

It is important to understand how a fire extinguisher works and to regularly check its expiration date. And also, a fire extinguishing agent must meet certain requirements:

 

for a car, the minimum volume of a fire extinguisher is 2 liters, for trucks – 5 liters;

it is permissible to use only 2 types of fire extinguishers – powder or carbon dioxide;

the fire extinguisher must have a metal body and a spray bell;

powder models must be equipped with a pressure gauge showing the pressure of the filler;

the check of the fire extinguisher must have a whole seal;

 

When sold, the fire extinguisher must be accompanied by a passport with the date of manufacture and expiration date.

 

Warning triangle. This item will not take up much space in the trunk, although its role in preserving people’s health is great: it has repeatedly saved the lives of those who made a forced stop on the road. And the “non-freeze” canister, exposed on the road, will not be an adequate replacement for it.

 

For a triangular warning triangle, there is a regulation that determines the size and design. Thus, the length of each side of the triangle should be 50–55 cm. On the outside, the sign should have stripes of reflective material, each of which is at least 5 cm wide.

 

It is imperative to have special support that will allow you to install and fix the warning triangle sign on any level surface. We, in turn, advise you not to save money and buy the most massive, stable, and strong version – this will not be blown away by a wave of air from the first truck that passes by.

 

Reflective vest. In March 2020, another amendment to the traffic rules introduced a norm according to which drivers, leaving the car, are required to wear a jacket or vest with inserts of reflective material. This should be done on roads outside of settlements in the dark – at night and dusk. And also in conditions of limited visibility. In some European countries, the use of a vest is mandatory regardless of weather conditions.

 

A special GOST 12.4.281-2014 has been adopted, in which strict frameworks are indicated regarding the location and shape of the reflective stripes on the vest. For example, the width of the strip should not be less than 5 cm, and the two main lines must be horizontal and parallel to each other.

 

Unlike other items on this list, even motorcyclists should have a vest. On the other hand, this is the only mandatory accessory for the absence of which a fine is not yet issued.

Wear warm clothes

Put on layers. On an ordinary bike, you don’t have to bundle up less than on an e-bike or a pedelec, because more heat is produced. When it snows, it is best to wear a waterproof jacket and pants. The snow is melting on your clothes.

 

Think about your visibility

Don’t forget your visibility. Always make sure your front and rear lights are working and a fluorescent jacket is certainly not an unnecessary luxury in winter weather. With a reflective vest, other road users will notice you 150 meters away.

 

How about winter tires?

If the snow persists for a while and you have to cycle a lot, if you are a letter carrier or delivery driver, for example, you might consider winter tires. Not only will they give you more grip, but they will also reduce your stopping distance.

 

Take care of your battery

In cold weather, your e-bike’s battery loses up to 25% of its range. It is best to store your bike indoors and, if this is not possible, store the battery in warmer temperatures. Remember that in freezing temperatures, the battery can be completely discharged within hours without you using it.

 

Electric scooters

 

Monitor your driving style

The small wheels of electric scooters have less grip in winter and the braking is also less smooth. You can wrap colons around your tires for better grip. Look far ahead to better assess the behavior of other road users.

 

Visibility is crucial

Electric scooters are not yet well established, so not all motorists and cyclists can take this into account. Here, too, visibility is a must. Reflective clothing, additional lighting, and fluorescent jackets are more than recommended.

The German capital is struggling with the growing number of accidents involving cyclists. The proposed solution to this problem is surprising. As suggested by German uniforms, it would be beneficial to introduce mandatory license plates for two-wheelers.

 

“Because of the growing number of complaints sent by pedestrians, it is worth considering the mandatory marking of bicycles ” – Barbara Slowik, the head of the Berlin police quoated by PAP, told the daily “Berliner Morgenpost”. This postulate was supported by the CDU parliamentary group in the Berlin Landtag. As the spokesperson for the transport of the group pointed out, the idea is to make it easier to bring cyclists who are the perpetrators of collisions to justice.

 

According to the calculations of German law enforcement officers, already over 50 percent. incidents involving cyclists taking place in the capital of our western neighbors are caused by the users of two wheels themselves. According to the police, some of the collisions are caused by cyclists ignoring the rules or aggression on their part. It is difficult to refuse even part of the German police. It has been known for a long time that ignorance and aggression do well under the wings of anonymity. There is, however, the other side of the coin. Many commentators in Germany see the source of the Berlin problem elsewhere.

 

Hendrik Lehmann from “Der Tagesspiegel”, quoted by PAP, notes that the bicycle infrastructure no longer meets the needs of a growing group of cyclists. This is why some of them avoid their designated roads. He also notes that the police have been helpless for years in terms of increasing the safety of vulnerable road users. Finally, he wonders why bicycle license plates should solve the problem when cars with them cause a lot of accidents.

 

According to the Berlin police, in 2019 cyclists only participated in 3.9 percent. accidents in the German capital. For comparison, in Poland in 2019 this percentage was as high as 14.6%. No wonder that we also have voiced about the mandatory marking of bicycles from time to time. The problem, however, is that it is difficult to do it in a way that is both legible and not absurd because your imagination quickly tells you that a bicycle with a license plate would be just like in a car. However, it is a good idea to take out insurance which, in the event of damage to the bicycle, will cover the amount necessary for their removal. Many people already have them – along with an insurance policy for an apartment or a car – without knowing anything about it. A reflective vest with a number is obligatory, the driver is better visible, a large field.